Cord-cutting knife for grain-binders.



Patented May 6, M2;

A. H. NELLER. CORD CUTTING KNIFE FOR GRAIN BINDERS.

(Application filed Feb. 26, 1901.)

(No Model.)

\Hfigasses 1 UNtTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT I-I. NELLER, OF MAPLETON, MINNESOTA.

CORD-CUTTING KNIFE FOR GRAIN-BINDER'S.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 699,558, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed February 26, 1901. Serial No. 48,924. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. NELLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mapleton, in the county of Blue Earth and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and use-- ful Cord-Cutting Knife for Grain-Binders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improved revoluble cord-cutting knife for grain-binders of the Mc- Cormick type, the object of my invention being to efiect improvements in the construction of the knife, whereby the binding-cord is prevented from prematurely comingin contact with the cutting edge of the knife pending the operation of the knot-forming mechanism and the binding of the gavel.

To this end my invention consists in a revoluble cord-cutting knife for grain-binders and a guard revoluble with the knife and extending in advance of and above the cutting edge thereof and adapted when the bindingcord is laid to keep the cord out of contact with the cutting edge of the knife between the binder-arm and the cord-holder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a cord-cutting knife embodying my improvements, showing the same in operative relation to the knotting mechanism of a McCormick grainbinder.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective View of my improved cord-cutting knife. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of the same.

The revoluble knife 1 comprises the central circular plate 2, the upturned blades 3 at opposite sides thereof having the oppositelydisposed cutting edges 4 and provided on their upper sides with guards 5, which project in advance of and over the said cutting edges. The knife, as is usual, is attached to the lower side of the usual cord-holder CI, of a McCormick binder, as described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 443,544, and revolves therewith.

Heretofore the knife has not been provided with the guards 5, and in the operation of the grain-binder, when the binding-cord b is by the binder-arm c disposed over the cordholder, over the finger d, and in position to be caught by the knotter-bill e, the cord, during the formation of the gavel and just prior to the operation of the knotting mechanism,

has been disposed in advance of one of the cutting edges of the knife, with the result that'at times the cord comes prematurely in contact with the cutting edge of the knife, is cut thereby, and consequentlya bundle is not tied, hence rendering the operation of the binding and knot-forming mechanism imperfect and uncertain in this particular. To 0bviate this defect, I provide my improved knife with the-guards 5, which are disposed above and project forward over the cutting edges 4 of the knife. At each semirotation of the knife with the cord-holder one of the guards 5 of my improved knife is disposed in line with the binding-cord b, as the same is by the binder-arm c disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1, and the binding-cord is caught by the guard, the binding-cord resting on the guard and the latter serving to keep the cord from coming in contact with the cutting edge 4 of the knife, as shown in Fig. 1. Hence the binding-cord cannot be prematurely cut by the knife, and the opera tion of the machine in the formation, binding, and tying of the gavels is rendered certain.

The operation of the binding, knotting, and cutting mechanism is well understood by those skilled in the construction and operation of the McCormick grain-binder, and hence is not stated here, and only so much of the mechanism of the McCormick grainbinder is here shown as is needfulto illustrate the operation of my improved knife in coaction therewith.

My improved knife is set back on the cordholder about an inch as compared with the knife shown and described in the patent hereinbefore mentioned, the relative positions of my knife and the cord-holder being such that the foremost cutting edge 40f the knife is in the rear of the cord when the latter is laid, with the guard projecting forward from said cutting edge and disposed under the cord, hence effectually keeping the latter from premature contact with a cutting edge of the knife at a point between the'bindenarm and the cord-holder. p

I find by experiment that not only is my improved knife provided with the guards above and in advance of the cutting edges effective in preventing the premature cutting of the binding-cord, but that my knife, by reason of its being set back with relation to the cordholder, enables the machine to tie a much tighter knot than formerly, the guards serving to keep the binding-cord from contact with the cutting edges,while the movement of the cord-holder is efiective in tightening'the knot. v

Heretofore the tension of the cord between the cord-holder and the binder-arm or the initial disposition of the cord in rear of the foremost cutting edge of the knife has been relied upon to prevent the occasional prema ture cutting of the cord. Both of these expedients are, however, ineffective. By providing the knife with the guards herein described I obviate this difficulty. Hence the cord may be somewhat slack between the cordholder and the binder-arm without coming in premature contact with the knife, as the guard would keep it from the edge of the knife, and hence the springs on the cordholder and knotter-bill may be weakened, as before stated;

I also find by experiment that in the practical operation of the machine the springs on the cord-holder and also on the finger of the knotter-bill do not need to be so tightly adjusted as formerly and do not require to be of such strength as has heretofore been necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A revoluble cord-cutting knife for grainbinding machines having a guard in advance of and above the cutting edge thereof to prevent the cord from prematurely coming in contact with the cutting edge of the knife at a point between the binder-arm and the cordholder, substantially as described.

2. A revoluble cord-cutting knife for grain-- binding machines, comprising a central plate, upturned blades each having a cutting edge, said cutting edges being reversely disposed and guards disposed above and projecting in advance of the said cutting edges, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a cord-holder, a revoluble knife, and a guard, revoluble with the knife and extending in advance of and above the cutting edge thereof, said guard being adapted when the cord is laid, to keepthe cord out of contact with the cutting edge of the knife, between the binder-arm and the cord-holder, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALBERT IL NELLER.

\Vitnessesz H. M. SIMMs, MARTIN NELLER 

